This invention relates to an automatic mixed drink dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to a push-button controlled system for automatically preparing substantially all of the mixed drinks which are typically ordered by customers.
It is now well established that the manual preparation of mixed drinks inherently involves a number of substantial problems. For example, at a large cocktail party or reception, a number of bar locations and an equal or greater number of bartenders are required in order to provide mixed drinks for the guests. Notwithstanding the large inventory and labor costs which are involved in such an operation, there often are long lines at each bar location, leading to irritation of the guests and disruption of the affair. This is true because the manual preparation of a mixed drink involves a number of time consuming steps, such as selection of the proper liquor, pouring of the liquor, selection of one or more mixes, pouring of the mixes, etc.
Another problem involved in the manual preparation of mixed drinks is that of accountability. Depending on the particular bartender that is preparing the mixed drinks and other factors, the amount of liquor that is actually used in preparing each drink may vary to a considerable extent. When this factor is combined with such factors as spillage, breakage and thievery, the task of properly accounting for the liquor used in a manual mixed drink preparation operation becomes very substantial.
The foregoing problems have been at least partially recognized heretofore. For example, U.S. application Ser. No. 322,120, filed Jan. 8, 1973, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,285, granted to Bryant F. Craig on June 4, 1924 for BEVERAGE DISPENSING APPARATUS discloses an apparatus for dispensing mixed drinks which operates under the control of punched cards. However, experience with prior art devices has revealed a number of difficulties, particularly with respect to adaptation of such devices to a commercial mixed drink preparation operation. For example, the selection and use of a punched card for each drink to be dispensed is too time consuming to be practical in a commercial device. Additionally, prior art devices generally do not provide for accountability of liquors used. The ability to maintain accurate records with respect to liquor usage is considered to be highly advantageous in a commercially successful mixed drink preparation apparatus. Thus, a need exists for still further improvements in the art of automatic mixed drink preparation, particularly with respect to apparatus intended for commercial usage.
The present invention comprises an automatic mixed drink dispensing apparatus which overcomes the foregoing and other disadvantages long since associated with the prior art. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, a housing receives a plurality of quantities of liquors, each in its original container, a plurality of quantities of syrups, each in its original container, a quantity of water, and a quantity of carbon dioxide. The housing includes a top wall defining a mixed drink preparation zone, and a dispensing head is mounted on the housing and extends into the mixed drink preparation zone. An array of push-buttons is provided for actuation from the mixed drink preparation zone, with each push-button corresponding to a particular mixed drink. Upon actuation of a push-button, the various liquids necessary in the preparation of the drink are pumped from their various containers and are discharged through the dispensing head.
In accordance with more specific aspects of the invention, the housing further comprises a bottom wall, front and back walls, and opposed side walls. The front, back and side walls each comprise one or more openable panels to facilitate access to the entire interior of the housing. A bulkhead extends between the front, back, top, and bottom walls of the housing for cooperation with portions of the front and back walls and with one of the side walls to define a liquor receiving zone. The openable panels of the front and side walls which define the liquor receiving zone are adapted to be latched from within the housing, and the openable panel of the back wall which defines the liquor receiving zone is adapted to be locked, whereby the liquor receiving zone is secured against unauthorized entry.
An ice chest is mounted in the upper portion of the housing for access from the mixed drink preparation zone and has a liquid chilling apparatus mounted in the bottom thereof. A drain is mounted in the mixed drink preparation zone under the dispensing head. Drain conduits extend from the drain and from the bottom of the ice chest to a drain pan which is slidably supported in the bottom of the housing. The drain pan has a spigot which is selectively operable to allow fluid flow out of the drain pan.
Liquor is withdrawn from the liquor containers in the liquor receiving zone and is discharged through the dispensing head by a plurality of liquor pumps each individual to one of the liquors. In a preferred embodiment, gas-operated liquor pumps are employed, and solenoid-actuated valves are utilized to regulate the amount of liquor dispensed. In an alternative embodiment, motor-driven liquor pumps are used, and the time period of operation of each pump is regulated in order to control the amount of liquor dispensed.
The syrup containers are charged with pressurized carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide container. The syrups are directed from the containers through the liquid chilling apparatus and through the dispensing head under the action of the pressurized carbon dioxide. Solenoid-actuated valves are utilized to regulate the amount of syrup dispensed.
Water is withdrawn from the water container by a motor-driven water pump. The water is directed through the liquid chilling apparatus and through the dispensing head, with the quantity of water dispensed being regulated by a solenoid-actuated valve. Water is also directed to a carbonating apparatus which also receives carbon dioxide from the container thereof and serves to form carbonated water. Carbonated water from the carbonating apparatus is directed through the liquid chilling apparatus and through the dispensing head, with the quantity of carbonated water discharged also being regulated by a solenoid-actuated valve.
The operation of the mixed drink preparation system is under the control of electronic circuitry. Upon actuation of a push-button, the circuitry first functions to select the various liquids which are necessary in formulating the desired mixed drink. The circuitry then operates through the solenoid-actuated valves to discharge the required amount of each liquid through the dispensing head. In the case of the liquors, counters are operated in parallel with the solenoid-actuated valves, thereby maintaining a highly accurate accounting of the liquor dispensed.